Burrowing into the mountains was a cave mouth more than forty feet in height. Ten men could walk alongside one another with no problem if they were to venture into the maw. It was daunting to Eboshi when she first laid her eyes upon it many years ago. Even now, despite having made it through unharmed, it sent a shiver down her spine. San was fascinated by the size of the cavern. The cave which she and her brothers lived paled in comparison. This one seemed to go on for miles. Her eyes lost sight of anything within the passage. Utter darkness lined the walls, spread over the floor, and hung from the ceiling.

"How well can you see in the dark?" Lady Eboshi said to San while she studied the gaping maw.

"Not as well as my brothers but better than any other human." San boasted, "Although I can't see if there is no source of light at all. The stars and moon are enough to let me see where I'm going, but I would be bumbling around if I were, say, underground."

"We may as well be underground once we're inside this cave. The last time I traveled through this place, I was accompanied by several others who bore torches, and even then we had a difficult time finding our way." Eboshi dismounted Yakul and approached the opening of the cavern. Her confident smile was gone now. A more stern look was on her face. San didn't think she was scared; she seemed determined.

"You aren't afraid of the dark are you?" San asked.

"Not of the dark itself," Lady Eboshi replied, "But more of what may or may not dwell inside. I can thank Akane for that." Eboshi tightened her jaw, disappointed in herself that she was allowing a one-time incident to cause her to tremble in terror. There was no point in thinking about stopping. She and San had come too far to turn away from this cave. San had at last settled her differences with Eboshi, but their reconciliation had come at a great cost and a close encounter with death. Leaving because of a childish fear would undo what little good had come so far in this journey. "You may want to lead Yakul by his reins. He won't be able to see that well unless his eyesight is as good as your own."

San took the first step into the cave. The air dropped from cool to icy as the light began to fade. Yakul trotted along, remaining close with San as she led him through the cavern. Lady Eboshi followed at a considerable distance, her pace slow and steps short. Her fingers tapped against the handle of her sword. Each time her nails clacked against the steel, San's eyes glanced back to see what was making the noise. She thought nothing of it when she spotted Eboshi's fingers knocking against the katana.

The light of day had vanished soon after they entered the cave. Drops of water fell from the stalactites above, San's vision began to fail her as they wandered further away from the opening. Without even the slightest bit of light, it was impossible for her to see. Eboshi had to rely on the sound of Yakul's hooves to find her way through the cavern. She regretted not bringing a torch or a lantern. If only she had a chunk of flint, she could create a makeshift torch with some cloth and her sword.

"How long is it going to take for us to get through this cave?" San asked. Her arms were outstretched in front of her as she tried to avoid bumping into something.

"I don't know exactly how long it will take," Eboshi replied, "But I do remember that the last time I entered this cave, it was morning. By the time I left, night had fallen."

San stifled a sigh and put up with the darkness. She wrapped Yakul's reins around her wrist and kept close to the wall, sliding along with her back against the stone. The stalagmites growing from the ground brushed against San's legs. Each one caused rough scratches to appear on her skin. Every step was careful so that she wouldn't step on any of the sharper rocks on the floor. Her cloth shoes would have done little for protection.

Neither woman knew how much time had passed as they continued to venture down the tunnel. They weren't sure if there was a turn they were supposed to make or a pitfall awaiting them ahead. Lady Eboshi stopped tapping on the pommel of sword, though her eyes continued to scan the darkness in vain. Her fears had calmed after what felt like an hour in the cave. She wanted to move at a faster pace than they were now, but San was controlling their speed and continued at a steady march.

"Wait!" San blurted out as she froze in place.

"What's wrong?" Lady Eboshi asked. She gripped the handle of her katana, ready to draw the blade in an instant.

"There's something in the air, some kind of smell," San replied, "But I can't tell what it is."

"It isn't another dead body, is it?"

"No, it's very different. I've never smelled this scent before. Let's see if we can find where it is."

"Hold on one moment." Lady Eboshi followed the direction of San's voice with her arm outstretched before her. She stopped when her fingers brushed against Yakul's thick fur. He made a sudden grunt but was calmed when Eboshi brushed his neck. Once she had a grip of Yakul's saddle, she was ready to move on. "Alright, let's go."

San followed the scent, backpedalling numerous times when she could tell that the strength of the smell was weakening. The caverns began to narrow; at their tightest point, Yakul's antlers were close to brushing against the walls. Eboshi's scabbard clinked against the rough stone edges of the tunnel. She was concerned that San was going to get them lost. When she had last passed through the cave, the cave had widened rather than tightened. They were never as cramped as they were now.

The scent was starting to become familiar to San. It reminded her of a reptile, though it wasn't the exact smell of a snake or a lizard. Something about it was different. She thought that it may have been a species she had never encountered before. No matter what kind of animal it was, it meant life, and that could lead to water or light.

The group was led to what seemed to be a dead end. A pile of loose rocks blocked them from going on any further, stacked atop another and stuck into place. Lady Eboshi was about to ask why that had stopped, but a roar of frustration from San kept the words from coming out of her mouth. San grabbed one of the rocks and chucked it against the wall, causing it to shatter like glass. She continued to pick up and smash the stones in her path, swearing repeatedly as she did. Yakul kept his head low while Eboshi crouched onto one knee. Rocks of all sizes soared over their heads and exploded behind them. Before long, San wore out and collapse, holding her head in her hands. Eboshi was about to say something to comfort San, but before a single word could be uttered, she noticed a ray of light piercing through the rubble.

"San, look!" Eboshi said, "There's something on the other side."

Sweat slid down San's right cheek as she turned to the thin stream of light. Her eyes shot open wide and she began to dig with renewed vigor. Grunts and the sound of breaking rocks echoed throughout the tunnel. Chunks of gray stone scattered onto the floor. Bit by bit, the narrow ray of light became a luminous beam. San began to struggle with a small boulder, straining her arms to move it out of her way. She managed to roll it away from the rest of the debris. The pile of rocks crumbled, revealing a bright chamber lit by golden lanterns. On the other side of the room sat a circular door with various drawings adorning the front. Lady Eboshi and San were stunned by the hidden cavern.

"Go see if there's a way out from here," Lady Eboshi said, "I want to see what's on that door."

San nodded and set off on her own, curious to see what was in this cavern. Amongst the rock formations within the chamber were several tiny statues. She knelt down to examine each one. Most of the statues were some sort of demon, including an oni holding a kanabo, One of the figurines was that of a dragon, coiled like a rattlesnake. It was hollow and had a hole at the end of its tail. An unlit stick of incense sat next to it. Yakul sniffed the burnt out incense, though he could smell nothing.

Lady Eboshi approached the round door as she examined the drawings on it. The most prominent drawing was that of a dragon which encircled the entire door. Amongst it were silhouettes of people with their hands raised towards the serpent. She noticed that there was a large hole in the center of the door, large enough to place her hand into. It was smooth, perfect for something spherical.

"San?" Eboshi called out.

"Yes?" San replied as she looked for a tunnel of some sort that could lead them out of the chamber.

"Have you found anything yet?"

"A few statuettes but nothing more. There doesn't seem to be a way out on this side."

"Keep looking around. Also, see if you can find something like an orb."

"Why?"

"Come here, look at this." Eboshi pointed to the hole in the door. "I want to see what's behind here."

The scent which had led San to the chamber was at its peak. She could tell that whatever it was came from behind the door. Her eyes followed the winding shape of the dragon, making her wonder if that's what she was smelling.

Impossible, She thought, There are no more dragons in the world. Her mother had spoken of dragons before, how they were deities worshipped by humans. They had roamed the skies above, higher than any bird could soar. San didn't even believe in their existence, even with her mother's tales. It must be something else behind this door. Despite her doubts, she searched for the orb that Eboshi desired. Now she was curious to see what could lay behind the door.

San ventured to the other side of the chamber. Several more statues were sitting atop the rocks in the room. One of them was particularly large. It had been hidden away from the other figurines, placed behind a small boulder. This one did not depict a demon; it was a smiling man with a round belly, his hands outstretched. In his hands sat a jade orb which shone in the light as San picked it up. As San ran her fingers over its surface, she heard what sounded like hissing come from somewhere close by. She rubbed the surface of the orb again. Once more, the faint hissing sounded off. This time, she could tell where it had come from. Her sense of hearing led her to the circular door.

"There's something alive behind this door." San told Eboshi as she handed her the orb, "Are you sure that it would be wise to try and open it?"

Eboshi took the orb and faced the door. She couldn't smell whatever had led them to the chamber or hear what was concerning San. "What do you think I should do?"

San wanted to leave the door shut; whatever was sealed away must have been hidden for a reason. On the other hand, it may have been locked inside due to the fears of humans. She knew how they could be, terrified of that which they couldn't understand. It was also her belief that imprisonment was a fate worse than death.

"Maybe it would be better left shut." San muttered, "We're running low on time, anyway."

"Then we should get going immediately." Lady Eboshi said, "Besides, we wouldn't be of much help to your brothers if we wound up dead."

"We don't know that the thing behind this door is hostile."

"Perhaps, but it looks like there was a lot of work put into sealing it away." Eboshi put the jade orb inside one of Yakul's saddlebags. "Did you find a way out yet?"

"I haven't checked this side yet." San ventured back to the side of the chamber where she found the orb. The light from the torches allowed her to see as if it were daytime. She found another tunnel after a minute of searching. "This must be the way out."

Lady Eboshi nodded and motioned Yakul to follow. Before leaving, she grabbed one of the lanterns hanging in the area. How they hadn't gone out yet was beyond her but she didn't care. At least now they wouldn't stumble around like two blind fools.

San and Eboshi at last found their exit. Pale moonlight shone through the opening of the cave. Without hesitation, San bolted out of the tunnel, relieved to be free from such cramped conditions. Lady Eboshi smiled when she exited the cavern, now free from the darkness. As she passed through the mouth of the cave, the lantern in her hand went out like a candle in the wind. She paused for a moment and outstretched her arm so that it was the only part of her body in the cave. The lantern came alive with a bright flame.

"I guess this won't be so useful to us anymore." Lady Eboshi said, "Maybe someone else can utilize it in the future." She set the lantern down at the cave's entrance, wondering who would take it next. Maybe the next traveler who ventured through this cave would find that same room. It wouldn't matter anyway; without the orb in Yakul's saddlebag, that door may as well have been permanently sealed.